Apparatus for applying terminals to electrical conductor wires



Feb. 16, 1954 E. J. BOHABOY ETAL ,6 ,9

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING TERMINALS TO ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR WIRES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 9, 1951 h rromvsy E. J. BOHABOY ET AL 2,668,950 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING TERMINALS TO ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR WIRES Feb. 16, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 9, 1951 H64 as 24 BOHABOY 62d. ROACH 35 F76.6 as a? smw Patented Feb. 16, 1954 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING TERMINALS TO ELECTRICAL C ONDUCTOR WIRES Edward J. Bohaboy, Berwyn, and Charles J. Roach, Oak Park, Ill., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 9, 1951, Serial No. 219,934

7 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for applying terminals to electrical conductor wires and more particularly to a punch and die for wrapping or clinching the sleeve forming portions of a prong type solderless connector terminal about insulated electrical conductor wires and pressing the wire onto the prongs of the terminal prior to the clinching operation.

In the application of the prong type solderless connector terminals to insulated conductor wires for electrical apparatus such as telephone communication apparatus or equipment, difiiculty has been experienced in obtaining a good electrical connection between the prongs of the ter minals and the conductor core of the conductor wire due to the fact that the conductor Wires have not been pressed firmly'onto the prongs of the terminal prior to the wrapping or clinching of the sleeve forming portion about the conductor wire.

It is an object of the present invention to pro-- vide apparatus which will effect a more positive solderless connection between the wire of an insulated conductor and a terminal than has been made heretofore.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide a device for wrapping or clinching sleeve forming portions of' a prong type solderless connector terminal around a conductor wire and pressing the wire onto the prongs of the terminal prior to the wrapping of the sleeve forming portions about the wire.

In one embodiment of the invention as applied to a punch and die for clinching sleeve forming portions of terminal connectors about conductor wires, the punch is provided with a central aperture for receiving a plunger movable with and relative to the punch during various portions of its movement and movable relative to the punch from a retracted position where the end surface thereof forms a continuation of the forming surface of the punch to an advance position to engage the conductor wire and press it firmly onto the prongs of a solderless connector terminal supported in the die. The plunger is connected through linkage to a piston of a hydraulic actuator which is actuated at a predetermined point in the cycle of operation as the punch approaches the terminal connector to rapidly move the plunger to its retracted position to permit the punch to clinch portions of the conhector terminal about the conductor wire.

Qther objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the followpanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a punch press illustrating in somewhat simplified and diagrammatic form the invention as applied to the punch and dies for clinching terminals to conductor wires;

Fig. 2 is a detail plan sectional view through the punch taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the punch and die showing the punch in an elevated position and with the plunger therein in forward position and showing a connectorterminal supported in operative position in the die and a conductor wire on said terminal;

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the punch and die with the parts shown in the same relationship illustrated in Fig. 3 and at right angles thereto;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in an intermediate position with the plunger in the die in a position where it has pressed a conductor wire onto the prong of the terminal;

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 4 showing the parts in the position occupied in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the punch in its lowermost position and the sleeve portions of the connector terminal Wrapped around the conductor wire;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the connector terminal attached to a conductor wire; and

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a portion of: the con nector terminal before being applied to a wire.

The present apparatus is designed to attach a prong type solderless conductor terminal l5, Fig. 9, to a conductor wire "5 having a metallic solid or stranded core I! enclosed in a sheath of insulation 18 (Fig. 8) to establish. an electrical connection between the wire and terminal. The terminal 15 has a fiat body portion 20 along the center line of which is punched out and formed a pair of tapered prongs 22-22 in spaced relation to each other and to sleeve forming portions 2424 projecting from opposite edges of the body portion 20 and cooperating with the body portion to form a U-shaped structure. The terminal I5 is shown here as being fixed to a card 26 of insulating material. In applying 9. prong type terminal connector to a conductor wire it is essential that the wire be pressed onto prongs prior to the wrapping of the sleeve portions around the wire in order to establish a good electrical connection between the wire and terminal.

The apparatus is shown somewhat diagrammatically in Fig. 1 for applying a single connector terminal to an insulated conductor wire for the purpose of simplifying the disclosure of the invention. The apparatus comprises a die til supported on a die block 3| which is mounted on a bolster or cross frame 32 of a punch press 33. The die 3ll has a concave forming surface 34 for receiving a portion of the terminal connector 15 therein as shown in Fig. 3. Cooperating with the die 35 is a punch 35 secured by means of clamping members 35 to a die holder 31 which in turn is fastened to a ram 38. The ram 38 is guided for vertical movement between the side frame and guide members 39 of the punch. press 33 and is pivotally connected at 4!] to an arm 4! of a toggle actuating mechanism 42. The other arm 43 of the toggle 42 is connected at 44 to a frame member 45 of the punch press 33. The toggle mechanism 42 is actuated to reciprocate the ram 38 and the punch 3.5 by a lever 48 pivotally mounted about a fixed fulcrum 49 and connected at one end toa link 59 which is also connected to the toggle lever 43. The opposite end of the lever 48 has a cam follower which rides in a cam groove 5.! of a cam 52 mounted on a drive shaft 53 for actuating the lever 48.

The punch 35 is shown as being substantially rectangular in cross section with its upper end butting against the plate 55 on the die holder 31 and having a concave forming surface 56 engageable with the sleeve forming portions 24 of the terminal connector l for clinching or Wrapping the portions 24 around the conductor wire 16. The punch 35 which may be formed in two pieces, has a central. aperture 51 therein for guiding a. pusher member or plunger 58 for vertical movement therein to and from an advanced position shown in Figs. 3 and 5, and a retracted position shown in Fig. 7. In theretracted' positlon of the plunger, curvedsurface 59. of the lower end of the. plunger is flush with and forms a continuation of the forming surface 56 of the punch 35.. In its advanced position, the end of the. plunger is engageable with the wire during a portion of the down travel of the punch for forcing the wire onto the prongs. At its upper end, the. pusher element 58 is connected or formed on the lower end of a rod 5| which is slidably mounted in a bore in the punch holder 31 and is threadedly secured to a sleeve or head 53. The head 63 has an apertureor socket for receiving one end of a lever 64 which is mounted for oscillation. about the pin 55 and is stressed for'rotation in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 by a pair of springs 61. which yieldably maintain the plunger 58 in its advanced position as indicated in Fig. 3.

Means are provided for substantially, instantaneously retracting the plunger 58 to its retracted position as shown in Fig. 7. One end of the lever 64 is pivotally connected to a piston rod 'lllslid'ably mounted in a bore H in thepunch holder 31 and fixed to a piston 13 mounted for reciprocation in a cylinder 74 which is fixed to the punch holder 31. A pipe line communicates through a port 16 with the upper end of the cylinder 14 and with a valve '18 which is actuated for selectively connecting the cylinder with a flexible fluid pressure line it or a return pipe line 80; Valve 18 is spring pressed to its. normal position connecting the cylinder M with the return line It and is actuated to a second position by a lever 82 pivoted. at 83 and having one end thereof engaging a surface cam 84 fixed to'the rotatable shaft 53, toestablish communication between the supply line l9 and the cylinder 14 to cause the actuation of the piston and the retraction of the plunger 55. The cam 34 has a drop off portion 85 which permits the valve to be rapidly actuated to establish communication between the pressure line it and the cylinder 14 to actuate the cylinder and cause the retraction of the plunger 58 for a predetermined length of time at a predetermined portion of the down ward travel of the die 30.

To aid in guiding the conductor wire 15 into position on the terminal i5, and to hold the wire in position on the terminal after the plunger 24 has pressed the. wire onto the prongs and has I been. retracted during the clinching operation,

and also to assist in the stripping of the terminal connector from the punch 35, a pair of stripper plates 81--8l are mounted on the punch 35 for movement therewith and relative thereto. The stripper plates 8'! ride in dove tail guide slots 88 formed on opposite sides of the punch 35 and have a V'-shaped' notch 53 in each of their lower ends for receiving and centralizing the conductor wire l5 therein. At their upper ends the stripper plates 87 have portions bent laterally and upwardly passing through apertures in the plate 55 and engaging blocks 92 mounted for movement in vertical bores 93 in the punch holder 3! and urged downwardly by springs 94 mounted in the bores and acting against the plugs 95 in the end of the bores.

With the ram 35 and the punch 35 in their upper position, the plunger 58 and the stripper plates 81 are. in their forward positions with the lower ends thereof in advance of the die 35 and are yieldably maintainedv in these positions. When it is desired to attach a terminal IE to a wire I 6, the terminal I 5 is placed with the sleeve forming portion 24 thereof in the forming groove 34 of the die as and a conductor wire it is placed on the connector terminal in engagement with the prongs 22 as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. The drive shaft 53 may be caused to rotate through one revolution to actuate the lever 48 and cause the punch 35 to descend. As the punch 35 advances the end of the plunger 58, which is disposed above and in alignment with the prongs 22 of the terminal !5 in the die 39, will engage the portion of the conductor wire it above the prongs and press it onto the prongs and into the bottom of the sleeve forming portion of the connector terminal as indicated inFigs. 5 and 6. At a point during the down stroke of the punch 35 where the forming surface 55 of the punch is in close proximity to the end of the sleeve forming portions 24 (Fig. 5), the valve 58 is actuated to admit a surge of oil into the cylinder and cause the piston to be actuated and the plunger 58 to be quickly moved from between the sleeve forming portions 24 of the terminal to its retracted position. As the die 30 continues its downward movement after the plunger 85 has been substantially, instantaneously retracted, the forming surfaces of the punch and the plunger engage the sleeve portions 24 and wrap them about the wire it to attach the terminal to the conductor wire. As shown in Fig. 5, the spring pressed stripper plates 5? engage the wire it, when the wire has been pressed onto the prong, and. maintain the wire in tight engagement with the terminal. i5 as the punch 35 continues its downward movement to clinch the portions 24 of the terminal about the conductor wire. After the. ram 35. andthe punch 55 have been raised. the conductor wire it, with the; terminal attached thereto, may be removed from the guide 39.

It will thus be seen that with the above-described mechanism, the portion of the conductor wire "5 disposed above the prongs 22 of the terminal connector l5 are positively forced onto the prongs and into tight engagement with the bottom of the terminal prior to the clinching op-- eration to force the prongs 22 through the sheath of insulation I8 of the conductor wire and into engagement with the metallic core I! of the condue-tor wire to establish a good electrical contact therewith. The force applied to the wire it by the plunger is sufiicient to force the prongs 22 of the terminal into either a solid wire core or a stranded wire core ll of the conductor wire and establish a good electrical connection there'oetween.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will ernbody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for clinching U-shaped prongtype terminals around conductor cords oomprising a lower tool for supporting the U-shaped terminal therein with the prong and the ends of the terminal directed upwardly in a position to receive a conductor cord between the ends of the terminal and on the prong, an upper tooi. having a recessed end providing relatively fixed forming surfaces engageable with the ends or" said terminal for completely forming the end portions of the terminal around the conductor cord, means mounting said tools for movement of one relative to the other, drive means for reciprocating said one tool, a plunger mounted on said upper tool for movement relative thereto for pressing the cord onto the prong oi the terminal, means for limiting the movement of the plunger to and from a retracted position with the end of the plunger flush with the forming surfaces of the upper tool and a forward position with the end of the plunger in advance of said forming surfaces, and means operable in timed relation to said drive means for moving the plunger to said forward position and retaining said plunger in a forward position during a portion of each movement of said one tool towards the other tool to press the cord onto the prong of the terminal and to move said plunger substantially instantaneously to said retracted position after the cord has been pressed onto the prong and prior to the clinching of the ends of the terminal around the cord by the upper tool and to retain the plunger in said retracted position during the remainder of said movement of said one tool toward the other tool and the forming of the ends of the terminal around the cord.

2. An apparatus for clinching U-shaped prongtype terminals around conductor cords comprising a lower tool for supporting the iJ-shapeol terminal therein with the prong and the ends of the terminal directed upwardly in a position to receive a conductor cord between the ends of the terminal and on the prong, an upper tool having a recessed end providing relatively forming surfaces engageable with the ends of said terminal for completely forming the end portions of the terminal around the conductor cord, means mounting said tools for reciprocation of one relative to the other, drive meansffor reciprocating one of said tools, a plunger mounted on said upper tool for movement relative thereto to and from a forward position with the end of the plunger in advance of said forming surfaces, spring means for moving said plunger to and yieldably maintaining said plunger in said forward position for pressing the cord onto the prong of the terminal during a, portion of each movement of said one tool towards the other tool, and means operable during a portion of each of said movements of the one tool towards the other for moving the plunger substantially instantaneously to a retracted position with the plunger out of the path of movement of the ends or" the terminal after the cord has been pressed onto the prong and to retain the plunger in said retracted position during the clinching of the ends of the terminal around the cord 3. An apparatus for clinching U-shaped prongtype terminals around conductor cords comprising a lower tool for supporting the U-shaped terminal therein with the prong and the ends of the terminal directed upwardly in a position to receive a conductor cord between the ends of the terminal and on the prong, a holder for said tool, an upper tool having a recessed end providing relatively fixed forming surfaces engage-able with the ends of said terminal for completely forming the end portions of the terminal around the conductor cord in response to movemerit of one of said tools toward the other, an upper holder for said upper tool, drive means for actuating one of said holders for reciprocating one of said tools relative to the other, a

plunger mounted on said upper tool for movement relative thereto to and from a retracted position with the end of the plunger flush with the forming surfaces of said tool and a forward position with the end of the plunger in advance of said forming surfaces, means including a power actuated device on said upper tool holder connectible to a source of power and operable for moving said plunger to said forward position and for moving said plunger substantially instantaneously from said forward position to said retracted position, and control means operable in timed relation to said drive means for controlling the actuation of said power actuated device to eifect the movement of the plunger to said forward position and the retention thereof in said forward position during each movement or" said one tool toward the other tool to press the cord onto the prong of the terminal and to effect the movement of the plunger to said retracted position during said movement of said one tool toward the other tool after the cord has been pressed onto the prong and prior to the clinching of the ends of the terminal by the upper tool and to effect the retention of the plunger in said retracted position during the re-- mainder of said movement of the one tool toward the other tool and the forming of the end portions of the terminal around the cord.

a. An apparatus for clinching U-shaped prongtype terminals around conductor cords comprising a lower tool having relatively fixed curved surfaces for supporting the terminal therein with the prong and the ends of the terminal directed upwardly in a position to receive a conductor cord between the ends of the terminal and on the prong, a holder for said tool, an upper tool having a recess on the lower end thereof providingrelati'vely fixed forming surfaces engageable with the ends of said terminal for forming the end portions of the terminal around the con- 7 ductor cord in response to movement of one of said tools towards the other tool, a holder for said upper tool, drive means for actuating one of said holders for reciprocating oneof said tools relative to the other, a plunger mounted on said upper tool for movement to and from a retracted position with the end of the plunger flush with the forming surfaces of said tool and a forward position with the end of the plunger in advance of said forming surfaces, spring means for mov- ,7

ing the plunger to and yieldably retaining it in said forward position to effect the pressing of the to the clinching of the terminal by the upper tool and to effect the retention of the plunger in said retracted position during the remainder of said movement of said one tool toward the other tool and the forming of the ends of the terminal around the cord.

5. An apparatus for clinching U-shaped prongtype terminals around conductor cords comprising a lower tool having relatively fixed curved surfaces for supporting the U-shaped terminal thereinwith the prong and the ends of the terminal in a position to receive a conductor cord on the prong and between the ends of the terminal, a holder for said tool, an upper tool having a recess in the lower end thereof providing relatively fixed forming surfaces engageable with the ends of said terminal for completely forming the end portions of the terminal around the conductor cord in response to movement of one of said tools towards the other tool, a holder for said upper tool, drive means for actuating one of said holders for reciprocating one of said tools relative to the other, a plunger mounted on said upper tool for movement to and from a retracted position with the end of the plunger flush with the forming surfaces of said tool and a forward position with the end of the plunger in advance of said forming surfaces for pressing the cord onto the prong of the terminal during a portion of the relative movement of said one tool toward the other tool, means including a fluid actuated device mounted in fixed relation to said upper tool holder for moving the plunger to said forward position and for moving the plunger substantially instantaneously from said forward position to said retracted position, conduit means from said fluid actuated device connectible to a source of fluid under pressure, a valve in said conduit means, and means operable in timed relation to said drive means for actuating said valve to effect the movement of the plunger to its forward position and hold it in said position during each movement of said one tool toward the other tool to press the cord onto the prong of the terminal and to effect the movement of the plunger to said retracted position during each movement of said one tool toward the other tool and prior to the clinching of the ends of the terminal by the upper tool and to hold the plunger in said retracted position during the remainder of the movement of said one 8 tool toward the other tool and the forming of the ends of the terminal around the cord.

6. An-apparatus for clinching 'U-shaped prongtype terminals around conductor cords comprising a lower tool for supporting the U-shaped terminal with the prong and the ends of the terminal directed upwardly in a position to receive a conductor cord between the ends of the terminal and on the prong, an upper tool havinga recessed end providing relatively fixed forming surfaces engageable with the ends of said terminal for completely forming the end portions of the terminal around the conductor cord, drive means for reciprocating the upper tool relative to the lower tool, a plunger mounted on said upper tool for actuation thereby, said plunger being movable relative to said upper tool to and from a retracted position with the end of the plunger flush with the forming surfaces of said tool and a forward position with the end of the plunger in advance of said forming surfaces, power actuated means mounted in fixed relation to said upper tool for movement therewith for actuating said plunger to and from said forward and said retracted positions, and control means operable in timed relation to said drive means for controlling the actuation of said powerxactuating means to effect the movement of the plunger to said forward position and the retention thereof in said forward position during a portion of each downward movement of said upper tool to press the cord onto the prong of the terminal and at a predetermined point in the downward movement of the upper tool prior to the clinching of the ends of the terminal by the upper tool to efiect the movement of the plunger tosaid retracted position and the retention of the plunger in said retracted position during the remainder of the downward movement of said tool and the forming of the end portions of the terminal around the cord.

'7. An apparatus for clinching U-shaped prongtype terminals around conductor cords comprising a lower tool for supporting the U-shaped terminal therein with the prong and the ends of the terminal directed upwardly in a position to receive a conductor cord between the ends of the terminal and on the prong, aholder for said tool, an upper tool having a recessed end providing relatively fixed forming surfaces engageable with the ends of said terminal for completely bending the end portions of the terminal around the conductor cord, an upper holder for said upper tool, drive means for reciprocating the upper tool relative to the lower tool, a plunger mounted on said upper tool for actuation thereby, said plunger being movable relative to said upper tool to and from a retracted position with the end of the plunger flush with the forming surfaces of said tool and a forward position with the end of the plunger in advance of said forming surfaces, spring means for moving the plunger to and yieldably retaining it in said forward position to effect the pressing of the cord onto the prong of the terminal as the upper tool is moved downwardly, a fluid operated actuator on said upper tool holder connectible to a source of fluid under pressure for moving said plunger substantially instantaneously from said forward position to said retracted position, valve means for controlling the supply of fluid to and from said fluid operated actuator, and control means operable in timed relation to said drive means for actuating said valve means to effect the actuation of said fluid operated 'actuatorto'move said plunger to its retracted position at a predetermined point of each downward movement of the upper tool after the cord has been pressed onto the prong and prior to the clinching of the terminal and to hold the plunger in said retracted position during the remainder of the downward movement of the upper tool and the bending of the ends of the terminal around the cord.

EDWARD J. BOI-IABOY,

CHARLES J. ROACI-I.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 10 Name Date Liss Oct. 16, 1928 Thompson Mar. 29, 1929 McKeon June 17, 1930 Phelps et a1 Dec. 15, 1931 Holmes et a1. Aug. 23, 1932 Cheney Jan. 10 1933 Hicks May 16, 1933 Hackbarth Nov. 24, 1942 

